Sewage, grey-water and putrescible waste discharges

Scope

This reference case considers the impacts of a change to water and sediment quality from the discharges of sewage, grey-water and putrescible waste from any petroleum activity including the control measures necessary to manage the discharge.

2017:1001 - Sewage, grey-water and putrescible waste discharges

Public comment period closed - to be submitted to NOPSEMA for regulatory review

Development partners: NERA, Greenlight Environmental

Regulator(s): NOPSEMA

Anchoring of vessels and floating facilities

Scope

This reference case considers the impacts on benthic habitats from placement and recovery of anchors used during any petroleum activity including the control measures necessary to manage the impact.

2018:1002 - Anchoring of Vessels and Floating Facilities

Open for public comment until 20 June 2018

Regulatory review will commence after public comment

Development partners: NERA, Greenlight Environmental

Regulator(s): NOPSEMA

Consequence analysis of an accidental release of diesel

Scope

This reference case considers the consequences of a release of diesel to the marine environment during any petroleum activity.

2018:1003 - Consequence analysis of an accidental release of diesel

Open for public comment until 20 June 2018

Regulatory review will commence after public comment

Development partners: NERA, Greenlight Environmental

Regulator(s): NOPSEMA

Non-pulsed vessel and facility noise impacts

Scope

This reference case considers the impact of ambient sound exposure from vessels in transit and from fixed facilities during petroleum activities.

This reference case was part of the proof of concept phase of the reference case project. Its development is on hold because there the subject was too complex to complete within a proof of concept environment.

Interested in being part of the development team? Get in touch with NERA

Programs to monitor and detect impacts after an oil spill

Scope

This reference case describes the operational and scientific monitoring programs (OSMPs) that will be used to monitor and detect impacts in the event of an unplanned release of hydrocarbon from any petroleum activity.

Development partners: APPEA

Regulator(s): NOPSEMA

Biosecurity management

Scope

This reference case details the control and other measures to be adopted for the transit of vessels between petroleum activities and Australian coastal waters to manage risks from invasive marine species.

Development partners: Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

Regulator(s): NOPSEMA

Brine water discharges

Scope

This reference case considers the impacts of a change to water and sediment quality from the discharges of brine (salt-water) from any petroleum activity including the control measures necessary to manage the discharge.

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Cooling water discharges

Scope

This reference case considers the impacts of a change to water and sediment quality from the discharges of cooling water from any petroleum activity including the control measures necessary to manage the discharge.

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Produced formation water discharges

Scope

This reference case considers the impacts of a change in water and sediment quality from the discharge of produced formation water and any added chemicals from a hydrocarbon producing facility including the control measures necessary to manage the discharge.

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Subsurface application of chemical dispersants in deep water blowouts

Scope

This reference case details the application of subsea dispersants as a control measure to reduce the consequence of an unplanned release of hydrocarbons from a deep water well head including the control and other measures to ensure additional impacts and risks are reduced.

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Evidence-based sound exposure effect thresholds for whales

Scope

This reference case describes the effect thresholds on cetaceans from exposure to sound from seismic survey activities including the control and other measures to reduce the impact to an acceptable level. This reference case also covers the ongoing management of seismic survey activities to ensure this impact remains at an acceptable level throughout the duration of an activity.

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Evidence-based sound exposure effect thresholds for fish

Scope

This reference case describes the effect thresholds on fish from exposure to sound from seismic survey activities including the control and other measures to reduce the impact to an acceptable level. This reference case also covers the ongoing management of seismic survey activities to ensure this impact remains at an acceptable level throughout the duration of an activity.

Development partner(s): Department of Fisheries

Regulator(s): NOPSEMA

In-situ wellhead decommissioning for deep water drilling campaign

Scope

This reference case considers the impacts and risks of any change to the environment from leaving a well head in-situ to decommission the petroleum activity.

Interested in progressing this reference case? Get in touch with NERA

Consultation with conservation/community/special interest eNGO

Scope

This reference case could detail the preferred consultation method of a specific conservation/community/special interest group, including their information expectations, common expectations for management of functions, activities or interests of theirs that may be affected by petroleum activities, along with other requirements for titleholders to consider prior to initiating consultation.

Interested in progressing this reference case? Get in touch with NERA

The Ningaloo World Heritage coastline

Scope

This reference case describes the values and sensitivities of the Ningaloo World Heritage coastline including the environmental impacts and risks that may interact with these values and sensitivities.

Interested in progressing this reference case? Get in touch with NERA

Subsea hydraulic fluid discharges

Scope

This reference case considers the impacts of a change to water and sediment quality from the discharges of hydraulic fluids associated with operation of subsea production infrastructure including the control measures necessary to manage the discharge.

Interested in progressing this reference case? Get in touch with NERA

Seismic sound impacts to pearl oysters

Scope

This reference case considers the impacts of sound exposure from seismic survey activities on the ecosystem that supports the production of economically viable pearl oysters including the control and other measures to manage this impact.

Development partners: Pearl Producers Association

Regulator(s): NOPSEMA

Ongoing management of planned marine discharges

Scope

This reference case describes the features of an Environmental Management System (EMS) that ensures impacts from planned marine discharges are continuously managed to as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP) and to an acceptable level.

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Drill cuttings discharges

Scope

This reference case considers the impacts of a change to water and sediment quality from the discharge of drill cuttings from drilling activities and geo-physical surveys including the control measures necessary to manage the discharge.

Interested in progressing this reference case? Get in touch with NOPSEMA

Development partners: MCC Environmental

Regulator(s): NOPSEMA

Chemical selection procedures

Scope

This reference case details the control and other measures to be adopted for the selection of chemicals to manage marine discharges to an acceptable level.

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Light impacts to turtles

Scope

This reference case considers the impacts of a change in ambient light to turtles from any petroleum activity including the control and other measures necessary to manage the impact.

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Air emissions from petroleum activities

Scope

This reference case considers the impacts of change in air quality from any petroleum activity including the control and other measures necessary to manage the impact.

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Flaring operations

Scope

This reference case considers the impacts of a change in air quality from flaring associated with the operation of a producing facility including the control and other measures necessary to manage the impact.

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Geotechnical/geophysical site surveys

Scope

This reference cases considers the impacts and risks specific to undertaking geotechnical or geophysical surveys including the control and other measures necessary to manage these impacts and risks.

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Surface application of chemical dispersants

Scope

This reference case details the surface application of chemical dispersants as a control measure to reduce the consequence of an unplanned release of hydrocarbons including the control and other measures to ensure additional impacts and risks are reduced.

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Offshore booming and recovery operations

Scope

This reference case details the offshore booming and oil recovery operations as a control measure to reduce the consequence of an unplanned release of hydrocarbons including the control and other measures to ensure additional impacts and risks are reduced.

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Ongoing management of financial assurance for oil spill response and monitoring

Scope

This reference case describes the features of an Environmental Management System (EMS) that ensures a titleholder maintains sufficient financial assurance for oil spill response and monitor activities for the duration of their activity.

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Consultation with Tasmanian, Victorian and South Australian lobster fishers

Scope

This reference case details the preferred consultation method of Lobster Fisheries in Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia and the information sharing and other requirements to consider prior to initiating consultation.

Development partners: Southern Rock Lobster Limited

Regulator(s): NOPSEMA

Consultation with the Northern Territory Seafood Council

Scope

This reference case details the preferred consultation method of Northern Territory Seafood Council (NTSC) and the information sharing and other requirements to consider prior to initiating consultation.

Development partners: NTSC

Regulator(s): NOPSEMA

Consultation with the Pearl Producers Association

Scope

This reference case details the preferred consultation method of the Pearl Producers Association (PPA) and the information sharing and other requirements to consider prior to initiating consultation.

Development partners: PPA

Regulator(s): NOPSEMA

Assessment and ongoing management of suspended wells

Scope

This reference case considers the impacts and risks of any change to the environment from suspending wells and monitoring their status including the control and other measures necessary to manage these impacts and risks.

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Managing vessel interactions with cetaceans

Scope

This reference case details the control and other measures that manage vessel interactions with cetaceans in the Commonwealth Marine Area.

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Seismic sound impacts to southern rock lobsters

Scope

This reference case considers the impacts of sound exposure from seismic survey activities on the ecosystem that supports the production of economically viable southern rock lobsters including the control and other measures to manage this impact.

Development partners: Southern Rock Lobster Limited

Regulator(s): NOPSEMA

A description of the values and sensititivites of the Great Australian Bight

Scope

This reference case describes the values and sensitivities of the Great Australian Bight including the environmental impacts and risks that may interact with these values and sensitivities.

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A description of the values and sensitivities of the Bass Strait

Scope

This reference case describes the values and sensitivities of the Bass Strait, Victoria including the environmental impacts and risks that may interact with these values and sensitivities.

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A description of the values and sensitivities of the Otway

Scope

This reference case describes the values and sensitivities of the Otway, Victoria including the environmental impacts and risks that may interact with these values and sensitivities.

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The thresholds for oil spill modelling

Scope

This reference case details the threshold inputs to be used in oil spill trajectory modelling to support analysis of oil spill risks from specific activities.

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Dispersant toxicity and efficacy testing

Scope

This reference case details how chemical dispersants will be tested for toxicity and efficacy in determining the feasibility of this control measure to mitigate the consequences of an oil spill.

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Assessment of adequate preparedness for an oil spill

Scope

Assessment of control measures for oil spill response and the adequate level of preparedness required to demonstrate the oil spill risk from an activity.

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Oil spill control measure performance standards

Scope

This reference case details the typical oil spill control measures and proposes performance measures to determine their effectiveness.

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A description of National Plan for Maritime Environmental Emergencies for petroleum activities

Scope

This reference cases describes the national system for oil spill preparedness and response for all types of petroleum activities including the notification and mobilisation requirements of each activity type.

Interested in progressing this reference case? Get in touch with NERA

Glossary of Terms

Scope

NERA has been requested by the NOPSEMA Transparency Taskforce to prepare a Glossary of Terms related to the Environment Plan approvals process for public consultation.

This reference case aims to create a consistent selection of terms to be used in preparation of an environment plan and during consultation with relevant persons. Adoption of this reference case by all stakeholders is expected to reduce misunderstanding and misinformation during the consultation process and the assessment process.

Interested in progressing this reference case? Get in touch with NERA